Press for bending metal shapes.



0. L. H USTON PRESS FOR BENDING METAL SHAPES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 26,1910.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

3 BHEBTE-8HEBT 1.

C. L. HUSTON. PRESS FOE BENDING METAL SHAPES.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG.2B,1910.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

.Irct) U. L. HUSTON.

PRESS FOB BENDING METAL SHAPE urudumx rum AUG. 26, 1910. 1,021,526. Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

rrrr 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CTIARLES L. HUSTON, OF COATESVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

PRESS FOR BENDING METAL S HAPES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

Application filed August 26, 1910. sen'aiivo. 579,058.

Shapes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in presses for shaping metal plates,

The invention isparticularly adapted for bending flat plates to U-shaped form; the

. forms being channeled in cross section.

Forms of this type are used in the manufacture of locomotive boilers for the sections of the fire box and the boiler adjacent to the fire box and the forms must beaecurately shaped so that when assembled they can be firmly secured together and tightly calked.

The object of my invention is to so construct a press that-a flat plate can be accurately bent into proper shape preferably a with one heating.

My invention relates further to details of construction which will be fully described hereinafter.

, sectional view on the line 9-9, Fig. 8; Fig.

10; is a plan view of another form, and

Fig. 11, is a sectional view on the line 11 11; Fig. 10.

Referring in the first instance to Figs. 8

to 11, inclusive, which illustrate the forms made by my improved press, would state that the form illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, is

- the form of the interior of a fire boxof a locomotive having flanges which extend into the body portion as shown in cross section, Fig. 9, so as to allow for expansion and contraction.

Figs. 10 and 11, illustrate the form used in making up the outer walls ofthe boiler at the fire box and also consists of a section U-shaped in cross section, as in Fig. 11, having outwardly extending flanges, and the body portion is slightly curved, as shown. These two sections are preferably of the same width and are coupled together by perforated plates which take theplace of stay bolts in tying the two sections of the boiler together, although stay bolts may be used in some instances. These two sections must be accurately made so that when they are assembled they will aline one with the other, so as to facilitate the making of. repairsby taking out the enlarged section and substituting therefor a new section.

Sectionsmade by my improved press are I accurate in every detail and "can be readily assembled, or one section canbe substituted for another.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A is a former around which the plate is shaped. This former, in the present instance, has a central portion A, an end .portion a and side portions a connected to the end portion by corner sections of. The side sections and the end section are loosely connected to the corner sections by single bolts so as to allow them to have a certain amount of flexibility when not held in place. They are secured to the central section A by any suitable clips or fastenings, as desired. The former consisting of the end section, the two sides and the two corner sections can be raised bodily by'a suitable crane when it is necessary to remove the shaped plate from the former. When in place the former rests upon a bed B having an abutment B made of plates shaped in any suitable manner to give the desired strength. Connected to the abutment B at each end, are two U-shaped frames B above and below as shown in Fig. 1, and to these frames and to the radial bed structures B the hydraulic cylinders D, D. D are rigidlysecured. E is the central movable die. E, E are the two side dies and E", E are the two intermediate dies. The intermediate dies E are connected to the central die E by hinge joints 0 and to the side dies by hinge joints e. The plunger d of the central c linder D is pivotally connected to the die F), d of the intermediate cylinders D are pivotally connected to the shoes F, which slide upon the die E. The shoe, in the present instance, has flanges which extend over the ribs on thebacks of the dies so as to control the movement of the die toward and from the former and yet slide upon the die as it is moved from one position to another. Hinged to each of the plungers d of the side 'cylinders D is a shoe F, which is adapted to slide on the side dies E; the

while the plungers connection being similar to the connect-ion between the shoe F and the die'E so that while the plungers can move the dies to- Ward and from the former, the dies can slide in the shoes to accommodate themselves to the shape of the former. In the present instance fluid is admitted to the main cylinders'D, D','D for the purpose of forcing the dies forward, the dies being retracted by return cylinders I and having their piston rods connected to cross heads I, which in turn are connected by rods 2' attached to the main plunger. The hydralilicmechanism is arranged so that the initial supply of fluid under comparatively low pressure is supplied to the cylinders after which the presure is increased so as to insure the accurate shaping of every detail of the form. The pressure can be regulated according to the thickness of the metal to be shaped and the intricacy of'the shape.

The operation of the press is as follows: The metal to be shaped is cut to the proper length and the proper thickness, and is introduced into a furnace and heated. WVhen it is turned out of the furnace it is bent into U-shape form and placed between the former A and thedies E, E, E VVhen it is adjusted to the position desired, power is applied and the plate is first pinched by the central die E and slightly by the other dies so as t9 give it practically the initial sha e of the groove a in the periphery of the former A. This pressure is continued on the side dies E by allowing fluid under ressure to be admitted to the cylinders D and the metal at the ends of the form is practi, cally driven into final position, pinching the metal at this point, after which the other dies are driven toward the'former A to the full extent, bringing all the parts of the plate to conform accurately with the shape of the former.- Then to insure absolute accuracy additional pressure is exerted on all the dies and theshape of the 'plate comleted. By this method either of the forms Illustrated in Figs. 8 to 10, can be readily and accurately made on a press of this type. In order to remove the formed plate the dies are backed off and the former, with, the plate attached, is lifted by a crane and hooks are applied to the ends of the shaped plate and the formed plate is drawn bodily from the form, after which the former is placed in position between the dies and the operation is repeated.

I claim:

'1. The combination in a press for shaping metal plates, of a fixed former, a central die, side dies and intermediate dies, said intermediate dies being coupled to the central die and to the side dies, with a plunger connected to the central die, plungers back of the sideand intermediate dies, and shoes mountedfbetween the plungers and the said side and intermediate dies and arranged so that the dies slide in the shoes as they are forced toward the former. v

2. The -combination of a fixed former, a central die, intermediate dies hinged to the central die, and a side die hinged to each intermediate die, curved slides .on each intermediate and on each side die, a central plunger pivoted to the central die, intermediate plungers, .shoes pivotally mounted on the plungers and having guides in which the slides of the dies have a certain amount of movement, a plunger back of each side die, shoes pivotally mounted on the plungers and having Ways in which the slides of the side dies travel as the dies are forced toward the former. t A v 3. The combination in a press for shaping metal plates, of a fixed former consisting of a center section; an end section and a section at each side; with connecting rounded corner sections loosely attached to the end and center sections, the end, side and corner sections being grooved to receive the plate to be shaped; and a series of dies opposite each of the side sections and corner sections and the center section, said dies being coupled together; with a plunger backof. each die, the plungers having a sliding connection with the side and corner dies.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES L. HUSTON.

Witnesses:

MURRAY (1 BOYER, WM. A. BARR.

copies of this patent may be obtained for flve cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. 0. 

